Folding furniture and methods of assembling the same

Abstract

A chair includes a pair of rear side frame members, a pair of forward side frame members, a pair of adjustment members, and a seat. The pair of rear side frame members are coupled together in a mirrored relationship. The pair of forward side frame members are coupled together in a mirrored relationship. Each of the adjustment members includes an elongate slot defined therein. Each of the forward side frame members is slidably coupled to each of the adjustment member slots. Each of the rear side frame members is pivotally coupled to an opposite end of the pair of adjustment members. The seat is suspended from the pair of rear side frame members and the pair of forward side frame members. The chair is foldable from an in-use position to a generally flat storage position.

1 . A chair comprising:
 a pair of rear side frame members coupled together in a mirrored relationship;   a pair of forward side frame members coupled together in a mirrored relationship;   a pair of adjustment members, each of said adjustment members comprises an elongate slot defined therein, each of said forward side frame members is slidably coupled to each of said adjustment member slots, each of said rear side frame members is pivotally coupled to an opposite end of said pair of adjustment members; and   a seat suspended from said pair of rear side frame members and said pair of forward side frame members, said chair is foldable from an in-use position to a generally flat storage position, each of said rear side frame members comprises a member having a length that extends from a top of said chair to the terrain upon which said chair is supported when said chair is in the in-use position.   
   
   
       2 . A chair in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said pair of forward side frame members are each substantially parallel to each of said pair of rear side frame members. 
   
   
       3 . A chair in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each of said forward side frame members are each coupled a distance from each of said rear side frame members by each of said pair of adjustment members, such that said forward side frame members can not touch said rear side frame members. 
   
   
       4 . A chair in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said pair of adjustment members facilitates leveling said chair with respect to the terrain beneath said chair. 
   
   
       5 . A chair in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said pair of adjustment members facilitate enabling said chair to be folded such that each of said pair of rear side frame members are positioned radially inward from each of said pair of forward side frame members. 
   
   
       6 . A chair in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a pair of arm-rest assemblies each pivotally coupled between one of said forward side frame members and one of said rear side frame members, each of said pair of arm-rest assemblies facilitates maintaining said forward side frame members a distance from said rear side frame members such that said forward side frame members can not touch said rear side frame members when said chair is folded. 
   
   
       7 . A chair in accordance with  claim 6  wherein each of said arm-rest assemblies comprises an arm rest coupled to a support member. 
   
   
       8 . A chair in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of structural support members coupled between said pair of forward side frame members, said plurality of structural support members facilitate maintaining said pair of forward side frame members in a spaced-apart relationship where said pair of forward side frame members are substantially parallel. 
   
   
       9 . A chair in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of structural support members coupled between said pair of rear side frame members, said plurality of structural support members facilitate maintaining said pair of rear side frame members in a spaced-apart relationship where said pair of rear side frame members are substantially parallel. 
   
   
       10 . A chair in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each of said elongate slots is substantially centered within each of said pair of adjustment members and extends substantially linearly from a first end to a second of each of said slots, each of said elongate slots has a length that is less than half a length of each of said pair of adjustment members. 
   
   
       11 . A foldable article of furniture, said furniture comprising:
 a pair of rear side frame members coupled together in a mirrored relationship such that said pair of rear side frame members are substantially parallel;   a pair of forward side frame members coupled together in a mirrored relationship such that said pair of forward side frame members are substantially parallel;   a pair of adjustment members, each of said adjustment members comprises an elongate slot defined therein, each of said forward side frame members is slidably coupled to each of said adjustment member slots at a first end of each of said pair of adjustment members, such that a radially inner surface of each of said forward side frame members is positioned adjacent a radially outer surface of each of said pair of adjustment members, each of said rear side frame members is pivotally coupled to an opposite second end of said pair of adjustment members, such that a radially outer surface of each of said forward side frame members is positioned adjacent a radially inner surface of each of said pair of adjustment members, each of said elongate slots extends for a length that is shorter than half a length of each of said pair of adjustment members; and   a seat suspended from said pair of rear side frame members and said pair of forward side frame members, such that said pair of rear side frame members are each between said seat and each of said pair of forward side frame members.   
   
   
       12 . An article of furniture in accordance with  claim 11  wherein each of said elongate slots is substantially centered within each an aft end of each of said pair of adjustment members and extends substantially linearly from a first end to a second of each of said slots. 
   
   
       13 . An article of furniture in accordance with  claim 12  further comprising a first plurality of structural support members coupled substantially perpendicularly between said pair of rear side frame members, said first plurality of structural support members facilitate maintaining said pair of rear side frame members in a spaced-apart relationship such that said pair of rear side frame members are substantially parallel, said seat is suspended from one of said first plurality of structural support members. 
   
   
       14 . An article of furniture in accordance with  claim 13  further comprising a second plurality of structural support members coupled substantially perpendicularly between said pair of forward side frame members, said second plurality of structural support members facilitate maintaining said pair of forward side frame members in a spaced-apart relationship where said pair of forward side frame members are substantially parallel, said seat is suspended from one of said second plurality of structural support members. 
   
   
       15 . An article of furniture in accordance with  claim 12  further comprising a pair of arm-rest assemblies pivotally coupled between one of said forward side frame members and one of said rear side frame members, each of said pair of arm-rest assemblies comprises an arm rest coupled to a support member, said support member facilitates maintaining said forward side frame members a distance from said rear side frame members such that said forward side frame members can not touch said rear side frame members when said article of furniture is folded. 
   
   
       16 . An article of furniture in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said pair of adjustment members facilitates leveling said article of furniture with respect to the terrain beneath said article of furniture. 
   
   
       17 . An article of furniture in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said pair of said forward side frame members is also pivotally coupled to each of said adjustment member slots.